


Nativity

by Cluegirl



Category: Bible (New Testament), Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-15
Updated: 2010-08-15
Packaged: 2017-10-11 02:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/107570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cluegirl/pseuds/Cluegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the days when Wizards were Kings, there lived three great men in the East.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nativity

"In the days when Wizards were Kings, there lived three great men in the East. Melchior the alchemist, who taught the magic of metals, the finding of water, and the paths of the stars to his wandering desert people; Balthazaar the healer, who taught the wise Chaldeans the arts of medicine and physic that even Greeks knew not; and Caspar the Seer, who was never surprised by anything, and whose advice kings and peasants and wizards alike never failed to heed.

One Spring night, King Melchior read a mighty thing in the heavens; a King Star gleamed in the throne of the sky, where none had been but a night before. All the stars and planets aligned in a startling and unmistakable conjunction, as though in reverence to the bright newcomer. A Great Wizard or a Mighty King was soon to walk the earth, he was sure of it.

In the Summer of the year, King Balthazaar made note of an omen, writ clear on the lights of a scarlet bull; The glyph for wisdom and eternity traced out in blue veins against the soft red flesh, entwined together, but somehow clear. A Teacher would come soon to the world, with lessons which would change the world as they had known it.

In the Winter of the year, the King Star burned nearly bright as day, and the smoke of the healer's fires stretched toward the west as a ribbonlike road along the sky. And uncertain, the kings considered all the wise and powerful bloodlines they knew, and who might bear forth such a fruit, but could think of none, in any kingdom they knew. And so they came to King Caspar the Seer, who had been expecting them, and was already packed for a long journey.

"You would not believe me, were I to tell you," he said to his brother wizards, "Thus, you must come with me, and see it for yourselves."

"But whence?" Asked Melchior. "To who's kingdom are we to travel? For I have enemies in these desert lands, and am not prepared to make war for my passage."

And Caspar only pointed, as though at the King Star's throne. "We will make no war, and no man nor wizard will make war upon us."

"But how long must we go?" Asked Balthazaar, "For my sons are restless, and the Romans watchful on my borders."

But Caspar only smiled. "Your eldest son is readily distracted by his harem, and your wife has strong reins upon him. Her wit will keep the Romans busy whilst we go to see the world change." After that, he would say no more. Not even when his leading brought his brother Kings amoungst the very Romans who had gobbled up so many Wizard kings and kingdoms before them. But they were powerful wizards, were these Kings, and the Romans saw them not, nor did the Muggle Lords of the desert land to which their journey led them. Their magic brought forth water for their beasts, and food for their servants wherever they did pause to take their rest, but never rested for very long, for travellers whispered of a mad Muggle king who slaughtered boys for fear of prophecy, and all Wizards know to fear such perils.

And so six month's travel led them to the City of David, descendant of the great Wizard Solomon, whom all wizards knew with awe. But not, as they had expected, in the wizard's quarter of the city, nor even in the fine houses where the wealthy dwelled. Instead, they found their prize in the dark and close of a cattle shed. And even more shocking, the child they had come to seek was born to neither kings nor wizards, but to a carpenter and his wife, without a spark of magic between them!

But the child himself… oh, he was another thing. He was magic itself, from his curling hair to his tiny toes, and everyone who saw him, King and wizard and muggle and shepherd alike, could see it. And none of the three Wizard Kings had any trouble believing that this child's magic would reshape their world, or that his teachings would reach farther than the wisest man's word had ever done.

But really, in the end what use had a carpenter's babe for gold and for frankincense? For fine silks and delicate ornaments? Such things a wizard might have hidden from the Romans, but these muggles, far from home and unused to wealth, would surely buy only trouble with them, especially with the mad king's soldiers seeking just such a child as this. It was but a moment's decision; the Kings would bear the family safely home again within their caravan.

And along the way, Melchior with his wizardry turned the gold into fine iron tools, cunning and crafty, and charmed never to break in the bearer's hands, never to strike false in the wood or the stone. The silks and tapestries he remade into sturdy fishing nets which a strong youth who lived by the sea might well use to feed his family. And he told the father tales of magics which could turn base things into fine, and make food out of wood, or sand, or nothing at all, and sustain a light which would burn no fuel if a wizard cared to have it so.

And along the way, Balthazaar worked his healing magic upon the mother, and transformed his gift into philters and simples for strength and good growth, and taught the woman such medicines as muggles could manage for themselves, telling her tales of how, with magic, the pall could be lifted from a blind man's eyes, and the bones of a lame man's leg made to straighten and strengthen that he might walk again, and how even the most dread of diseases could be charmed away if a wizard had the will to do it.

And along the way, King Caspar kept his silence, but looked often at the child, as though in silent conference with him. And when they came to the carpenter's home, the King turned to the Mother, putting his gift, exactly as he had brought it, into her hands. The chest was simple, though well wrought, and full of bitter resins, fine oils, and icy white linen, which he shewed unto her for but a moment before closing it fast. "You will live to use this, I am sorry to say," he told the mother, "Whatever befalls, keep it near, and know your son will be remembered, by man and wizard alike."

And then the time had come for them to leave, he told his fellows. But first, all three Kings agreed between them, and told the parents thusly: "When the boy is come of age, let him choose to which of us he will come for teaching. For there is much he may learn in any of our houses, should he choose to do so."

But the tales never say if the Magic Child did, and while in his short life his fame was bright, what came afterward bore out every one of King Caspar's words. And to this very day, Muggle and Wizard alike give homage to the Magic Child, the first Wizard kind had ever seen from out of Muggle blood. And from then onward, to honour the promises of those mighty Kings, magic children have been offered the learning of Wizardkind, no matter from what blood they may have come, and no matter how low their station."


End file.
